1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a guard protecting a delicate structure from impact by motor vehicles. The guard is in the form of a post secured to a driveway or curb located proximate the protected structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Protective barriers for protecting a delicate structure, such as a filling station pump, are known. These devices generally comprise a stout pipe, embedded in a concrete base, and reinforced, as by filling with concrete. These devices provide an unyielding barrier. This barrier protects its subject object, but at potential cost of severe damage to a motor vehicle.
French Pat. No. 1,026,771, dated May, 1953, discloses a traffic island for protecting pedestrians crossing busy roads. The traffic island has a protective post yieldingly stops a vehicle colliding with the post. The post is illuminated so that it will be conspicuous. There is no accommodation for protecting the vehicle, and no warning alarm in either the French reference, nor in the pipe type barriers discussed above.
Yielding reaction to impact is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,725, issued to Sven R. V. Gebelius on May 31, 1988, and U.K. Pat. No. 1,391,061, dated April, 1975. These patents show traffic indicating lights of the breakaway type. The device which is the subject of the U.K. reference includes a warning light which is activated upon separation of the light from its mooring. These inventions yield, but break away in so doing, and consequently will not protect an object from impact. They also lack warnings which operate upon light contact.
A vertically oriented warning device which illuminates a lamp upon contact is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,785, issued to William S. Gann on Jul. 13, 1993. This device lacks the strength to resist impact, being intended for use in executing slow, deliberate parking maneuvers. It also lacks features for protecting a motor vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,454,896, issued to Ellis Traub on Nov. 30, 1948, U.S. Pat. No. 2,658,967, issued to Arthur L. Matschke, Jr. on Nov. 10, 1953, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,879,350, issued to Clarence A. Howell on Mar. 24, 1959 show feelers for detecting a vehicle and energizing an alarm responsive thereto. Matschke's device is rubber coated to protect the finish of the motor vehicle. There is no structural integrity for resisting impact. In these three devices, the lamp is remote from the feeler.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.